Originally Posted by
moondog
If you use an agency, there is no need to go to Los Angeles in person, but totally "online" is not possible at this point in time because PRC visas are affixed to your passport (this is not the case with all visa issuing countries).
Understood. But in Canada, you can submit your application online, and make one trip to the consulate to get your passport stamped after your application has been approved. I *thought* this blog that I came across was describing the same thing for the US, but maybe it was referring to Canada.
Aside from avoiding an extra trip into downtown L.A., I've got other trips between now and the PEK trip, and can't be without my passport for the week or two that the normal process takes